Machine for making cut nails



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet; 1.

v F. ALLISON. v

MACHINE FOR MAKING GUT NAILS.

No. 394,903. U Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

Wifiaeweg. WM I (No Model.) 6 sheets-sheet: 2.

F ALLISON MACHINE FOR'MAKING GUT NAILS.

No. 394,903, Patented Dec. 18, 1888.,

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

F. ALLISON.

MAOHINE FOR MAKING GUT NAILS.

Patented Dec. 18, 1888.. I

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eets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 18, 1888 I ALLISON. MACHINE FOR MAKING GUTNAILS.

(No Model.)

N m w H y/ winr n m u R N W fi (No Model.) 6'SheetsSheet 5.

P. ALLISON. MACHINE FOR MAKING GUT NAILS. No. 394,903. Patnted Dec. 18,-1888.

(No Model.)

' e SheetsSheet s.

F. ALLISON. MACHINE FOR MAKING GUT NAILS.

No. 394.903. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

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IINTTED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

FRANK ALLISON, OF GRAND CROSSING, ASSIGNOR TO GUSTAVE M. GREENE- llAILllAND FRANK G. I'IOLTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CUT NAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,903, dated December18, 1888.

Application filed October 25, 1887. Serial No. 253,310. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK ALLISON, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Grand Crossing, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nail-Machin es, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for producing nails,and more particularly to machines wherein cut nails are produced byfirst cutting the nail-blanks from a nail-plate, and then heading upsuch nailblanks in order to complete the nails. Certain features hereininvolved may, however, be employed to advantage in machines forproducing other varieties of nails, it being understood that where suchfeatures are applicable to other classes of nailmachines the gripping orclamping dies can be shaped in conformity with the shape of nail-blank.

The object of my invention, generally stated, is to facilitate andcheapen the production of cut nails and to provide simplified andefficient means whereby the nails can be produced with greater certaintyand rapidity, thereby reducing the time, labor, and cost of theirmanufacture and rendering the nail-machine a greater commercial success.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other useful ends my inventionconsists in matters hereinafter described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

A prominent feature of my invention consists in noviding, in connectionwith a revolving clamping-die, a 'nipper, which is carried with therevolving die and adapted for temporarily holding thereon a nail-blank,so that from the moment at which the nail-blank is delivered to such dieuntil the moment at which such revolving die is brought into registerwith a correspondii'ig revolving die the nail-blank will be effectivelyheld in place, it being understood that when the two dies, or halfdies,as they may be imlifferently termed, are in register, so as to lirmlyclasp the blank between them, the blank will be headed up by a headingtool or (lie. The nipper is automatically operated to close toward thedie at a moment proper for engaging and holding the blank thereon, andpreferably retains its hold upon the blank untilafter the heading hasbeen completed and the finished nail is brought by the revolving die toa point suitable for its discharge. In this way the nipper, which iscarried with the revolving die, alternately opens and closes relativelyto the clamping-die face during each revolution on the part of the die.

As a further feature of improvement the two revolving clamping-dies areemployed in conjunction with a revolving cutter, which latter acts inconnection with a stationary cutter to sever a cut-nail blank from anail plate, and from such point of cut to carry the nail-blank forwardand deliver it to one of the revolving dies, the said two revolving diesbein g respectively attached to one and the other of a pair of rotaryheads, which serve as vehicles for causing their revolution about theaxes of theheads, while the cutter is attached to a third head mountedin such position relatively to one of. the die-carrying heads that assoon as the cutter has severed a nailblank from the nail-plate it canthen serve as a means for the transfer of the nail-blank from the pointof cut to one of the revolving dies, which during the operation of themachine arrives at the point of delivery just in time to receive thenailblank from the point at which the latter leaves the cutter. It is onderstood that the dies and cutters may and in practicewill bemultiplied, in order to produce nails with great rapidity, and that thenumber of nippers may be increased in accordance with the number of diesemployed.

A further feature of improvement consists in constructing theclamping-die so that the die-face, which is designed for rounding up acertain portion of the blank, can be readily removed and ground withoutnecessitating the 0 removal of such remaining portion of the dieface asmaybe present merely as a clamping or holding face, to which end therotary head is provided with a die block or backing having a groove forreceiving such portion of the 5 nail-blank as is not to be rounded up,and a clamping and rounding-up die proper is fitted to said groovedblock and provided with a grooved face adapted for rounding up suchportion of theblank as may require rounding, IOO

and having its groove arranged to lie in alignment with and as aeontinuathim ot the groove of the block or backing.

As a further feature of improvement, the rotary support for one of apair of revolving elamping-dies is provided with a movable heading toolor die having a 'n'ojeeting portion arranged to normally projeet in apath that is intersected by an idler wheel or roll, so that at themoment the blank is firmly gripped between the two (damping-dies theheading-die will be forced forward by the opposition of the idler wheelor roll, thereby dispensing with the necessity of mmrhanism foroperating the idler wheel or roll, which at all times stands as anabutment in the path of the rear end or rear projeeting port ion of theheading-die or die-stock ready to perform its allotted function.

A further :feature of improvement consists informingtherotaryheadearryingoneormore clamping-dies of a greaterdiameter than the rotary head earrying one or more cutters so arrangedwith relation to a stationary knife and to the die-carrying head that assoon as a cutter upon its allotted revolving head has acted to sever anail-blank from the nail-plate it shall act to carry forward the nail-lflank and deliver the same to the die on the rotary nailearrying head,whereby while the cutter-head and the die-head are both driven at thesame rate of speed, and the die during eaeh revo lotion on the part ofits head is brought at a proper moment into position to reeeive thenail-blank as the latter drops from the revolving cutter, the die uponthe perimeter of its allotted head will be carried faster than therevolving cutter, and hence upon reeeiving the nail-blank will instantlycarry the same ahead of the eutter, and thus avoid all possibleinterference of the eutter with the nailblanlc. This feature is alsoparticularly servieeable in eonjunetion with the spring nailblank holderand eieetor, which at a proper moment acts to deliver the nail-blankfrom the revolving eutter to the revolving die.

A further .leature eonsists in mounting at least one of the twodie-earrying heads in or upon a self-adjustable bearingbaeked by somesuitable sprin resistance, in whieh way, while two dies, respectively onone and the other of the two heads, are in register, the nail-blank willbe gripped with suitable force for holdingit against the action of aheading-tool and such grip retained upon the nail-ldank at the time whenthe two dies are about passing a right line joining the axes of theirtwo rotar v heads. lhis 1.)rolongati(m of the grip serves to cause thenail-blank to be held for sueh length of time as will insure the properheading up of the same.

A further feature of improvement consists in a particular mode ofarranging upon the rotary cutter-head a spring plate or linger, which,as hereinafter set forth, serves first as a gage for (htermining thewidth of nailblank cutfrom the nail-plate, next as a springholder forholdii'ig the nail-blank. during the transn'iission of the latter fromthe point of cut to the clamping-die, and nextv as an ejector foreffecting the delivery of the nailblank from the rotary cutter-head tothe elampingalie, and to such end the said springiinger,whieh isarranged in advance ot' the cutter carried by a rotary head, is iv ')tedat one end upon a bearing raised somewhat from the eylindrie perimeterof the head, and arranged so that the free end of the springtinger shallnormally lie ai'ljaemit to the eutting-edge of the eutter, whiehprojeets to some extent out from the eylindriesurfaee of the head. Inthis way the free end ()f the spring-linger can be ptl'llliiit'dl.'whilestanding out [from the head to normallylie elose up to the eutteron the rotaryhead, for the reason that, the opposite end of the fingerbeing pivoted at a point likewise stationed out from the perimeter ofthe head,the are. described bythe free end of the finger when it ispushed baek by the nail-plate toward the head will not erowd it againstthe projiwting body portion of the eut'ter.

llurther features of improvement eonsist in certain details andcombinations of parts, hereinafter set forth, and all partieularlyspecified in the elaims.

In theaeeompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of anail-unrehine embodying the prineiples of my hiwntion. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. I is a transverse sectional elm'ation takenon the line a" .r, Fig. 2. Fig. -1- is a longitudinal seetionalelevation taken on the line y 1 Fig. 11. Fig. 5 represents a eentralvlongitudinal seetion taken through the die-carrying head E and a portionof the shaft therefor. Fig. ii is a like seetional view of the rotarydie-rarrying head F. Fig. 7 is a view of the rotary die-(an'rying headsimilar to Fig. 5, but in a different plane, so that while in Fig. 5 thedies E and the hemling tools or dies l\'. are shown said deviees are notvisible in Fig. 7, whieh illust rates, however, nippers ll, fortemporarily holding the nail blanhs upon said dies E. Fig. t representsone of the nippers det aehed. from the head. Fig. 2! represents thet'aee of what may in general terms be understood to consist of aelamping-die, but whieh, for eertain purposes of the invention, involvesa seetional die emnposed of a clamping and rounding-up die portion and abloel: orbaeking to whieh said die is fitted. Fig. ll) is an end view ofthe rotary head 1%, provided with eutters and spring-lingers, the endplate usually 'fastenwl on sueh head being omitted for eonvcaiitmee ofillustration. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal seetion through the bloek, whichis adapted to provide the curved guide (3, and whieh in Fig. :lis set:uljaeent to the rotary eutter-heml, so as to provide be tween sueh headand the guide-wall I; a passage, wherein the nail-blanks are carriedfrom TOO the point of out to the point where they are Fig. 2 is an endview of the block of Fig. 11, and further illustrates the notch 10,formed in the lower end of the curved guide-wall 6. Fig. 13 is a detailrepresenting one of the revolving cutters (I and a block for adjustingthe same. Fig. 1 4: is an end view of the rotary head E with the endplate and internal collar removed. Fig. 15 is a like View of the rotaryhead F.

A indicates the main frame, which is understood to be provided withbearings appropriate for the several operative members of the machine,and otherwise suitably constructed so as to involve the features ofstrength and solidity that are desirably present in nail-machines.

The nail-blanks are to be cut in a rapid succession from a nail-plate bythe conjoint action of stationary and revolving knives or cutters, forwhich purpose the rotary head or carrier [3 is provided with aperipheral series of knives, which during the rotation of the head aresuccessively brought into co-operative relationship with a fixed knifeor cutter, D.

It is understood that in practice a nail-plate of width proportional tothe desired length of nail-blank will be mechanically fed up to thepointof cut. The representation of a device for thus feeding forward thenail-plate is herein omitted, it being simply necessary to observe thatwhile any suitable arrangementot feeddevice can be employed the line offeed should be in a plane substantially coincident with and just abovethe top side of the block or plate 1, herein shown adj ustablyheldwithin a suitable guideway, 2, in the main frame, and adapted to providea knife or cutting-edge at its end which stands in opposition to theperimeter of the rotary head or carrier B.

The gripping-dies for holding the nail blanks at times allotted forheading up the same are carried by a couple of rotary heads or carriers,E and F, the former being provided with one or more but desirably witha. plurality of dies, E, and the latter with a corresponding number ofdies, F. carrying rotary heads E and F are mounted below the field ofoperation of the rotary knifecarrier and arranged so that duringoperation the dies of the revolving heads E and F shall be successivelybrought into matching positions for momentarily gripping or clamping thenail-blanks. Thus when two clamping or gripping dies. respectively onone and the other of such heads, are brought into position to match orregister together, they will in passing a right line between the centersof rotation of the two heads serve to close upon and mo mentarily holdthe nail-blank with a firm grip, .and hence during such period of gripupon the blank hold and permit the same to be headed up. I

The rotary head or knife-carrier B is herein arranged directly over therotary die-carrying head E, and the stationary cutter is arranged withrelation to the carrier B to effect the cut These dieat a pointsufficiently remote from the highest point of the rotary head E torender it necessary for the nail-blank to be carried round with therotary carrier B about one-quarter of a revolution on the part of thelatter, in order to bring the nail-blank from the point of cut to thepoint where it may be properly delivered to the rotary die-carrying headE. The rotary knife-carrier B is utilized as a means for effecting thetransfer of the blank from the point of cutto the rotary die-carryinghead E, and to such end the said rotary head or carrier Ilhwhich may beprovided with one or more knives, but which is herein dcsirably equippedwith a plurality of knives, is further provided with aperipherally-arran gcd set of pivoted spring-lingers, 5, which duringthe passage of the nail-lflanks from the points of cutto the rotarydie-carrying head E serve to maintain the blanks against a curvedguide-wall, t3, and which at the instant the blanks pass the lowerterminal of such curved guidewall further serve to deliver or assist indelivering the blanks to said rotary die-carrying head. The sprin orspring-controlled fingers 5 are disposed at intervals about the rotarycarrier B, and set at such points that each finger shall stand inadvance of one of the knives O,with its free end standing next adjacentto its allotted knife. The

-rotary head B is provided with an annular peripherally-arranged seriesof rib-sections, 7, set at intervals apart around the perimeter of thehead, so as to provide in effect about the head an annularribinterrupted at inter vals by gaps. A cutter, C, projectsfrom the head atone end of each of said gaps, while at the opposite end of each gap ispivoted one of the spring -fingers 5. These rib 'sections '7 constitutepivot bearings raised from the perimeter of the head, and serving tohold the pivots for the spring-fingers out from said perimeter ofthehead, in addition to which said ribs also provide backings for suchportions of the rear sidesof the cutters C as may project from the head.This mode of pivotally supporting the fingers 5 permits them to normallystand substantially concentric with, but to some extent out from, thegeneral cylindric perimeter of the head, with the free end of eachlinger normally standing close up to the acting edge of the cutter, fromwhich position the linger can be swun toward the head without crowdingagainst the cutter, and hence depressed into the gap at such time as theforward end of the nail-plate is pushed forward against such finger.Springs 8 are herein arranged between the fingers 5 and the head, so asto cause such fingers to normally stand out to the desired extent, butat the same time to admit of the lingers being forced back by thenail-plate in order to permit the cutters C to cut nail-blanks ofdesired width from the nail-plate.

Under such arrangement the nailplate, when fed forward and to the rotaryhead or knife-carrier B, will strike one of the spring fingers 5, anddepress the same to an extent proportiolrally to the extent that theforward end of the nail-plate can be projected beyond the point of cut.The extent to which the spring-linger can be thus depressed, and theconsetpient projcctitm on thepart of ihenailplate beyond the point ofcut,determines the width of the sul)sequently-sevcred blank, and hence,in order to n-edetermine the width of nail-blank, adjustable stops orset-screws 9 are secured in the head B at points under thespring-lingers 5. in this way, by adjusting the stops J in directionsradial to the center of the head B, the extent to which the fingers canbe forced back by the nail-plate will be detmlnincd.

As soon as a naiLblanlc is severed by the conjoint action of the fixedcutter and one of the rcvolvin g cutters, the revolving cutter willserve to carry the blank along a passage formed between the head B andthe curved guide (5, which is formed at one end of a block ad justablyheld in the main frame of the machine. During such transfer of thenail-blank from the point of cut to the rotary head E, the spring-fingerwhich remains depressed by rea son of the interposition of thenail-blank between such finger and the guide 6 will serve to steady thenail-blank and cause it to maintain its place against the shank or bodyportion of the cutter, which has, as aforesaid, just operated to severthe blank, it liieing observed that at such period the nail-blank willlie flat up against the front side of the end portion, 10, of the bodyof the cutter,which projects from the head, as in Fig. 4, wherein anail-blank shown in the act of being transferred from the point of cutto the rotary head E. It will also be observed that the axes of theheads B and E are parallel, and that since the width of each cutter Ccorresponds to the length of the severed nail-blank the body of thecutter will during the transfer of the naihblanl; from the point of cutto the rotary die-carrying head Ebear against the entire length of theblank,

and thereby keep the same parallel with the axis of the rotarydie-carrying head E, and hence parallel with the groove of any one ofthe dies E, which are all grooved in lines parallel with the axis of thehead. by which they are carried. 'lhcre will, therefore, during suchperiod of transfer be no tendency on the part of the cutter to move oneend of the blank l'zister than the other, and hence no devices forrighting or bringing the i'iail-blank into position parallel with thegrooves of dies 3 will be necessary.

\Vhcn the nailblank reaches the lower terminal of the curved guide-wall(i, it will make a partial turn over the end of the block G at the lowerterminal of such guide and will drop fiat into the groove of one of thedies l l,which action on the partof the nail-blank is insured by thespring-linger acting as an ejector.

By reason of the arrangement of the springcontrolled ejector-finger 5,or what would be the same thing, a spring-finger, the nail-blank will beejected in a direction radially from the head, and the ejector will notdrag the nail forward and. in advm'lcc of the die, this im in-ovcdaction of the ejector being due to attaching one end of the ejector to aprojection on the periphery of the head, so that the ejector willnormally lie substal'itially concel'itric with such periphery in placeof being normally tangential thereto, as in United States Letters PatentNo. $375,302.

In order to bring the dies of the rotary head F into co-operativerelationship with the dies of the rotary head E, and at the same timesimplify the general arrangement by placing the rotary carrier B inrelationship to the rotary head E, substantially as shown, it is ofcourse necessary to mount the rotary heads 15 and F at a proper distanceapart, and this renders it necessary [or a nailblank delivered from therotary head 13 to a die on the rotary head E to be transferred from suchpoint of delivery to the point where the die will be brought intoregister with a like die on the rotary head F. During the transfer ofthe nail-blank. from one of such points to the other it is highlyessential to provide means for gripping the nail-blankas soon as it hasleft the guide (3 and. for hold ing it in or on the die of head E untilsuch, die has been brought into register with an opposing die of thehead l It is also desirable during the time when the two dies areseparating to still cause the nail-blank to maintain its position on oneof such dies, and to so hold the nail-blank until it arrives at a pointproper and convenient for its discharge. As a means for attaining suchdesired ends, the rotary head E is provided with a set of automaticallyoperating nippers, ll, corresponding in number to the number of dieswith which such rotary head is provided. These nippers (see particularlyFigs. 4 and 7) are arranged for engaging the nailblanks just. after thelatter have left the curved guide (3, and for holding thenail-blanksupon. the dies of the head E so long as may be nec essary.

The nippers herein shown consist of vibrator jaws or fingers pivotedeccentric to the an s of the head E, and desirably pivotally supportedwithin recesses 11 in the head, and arranged so that their outer freecurved ends, 12, may project out from the periphery of the head in amanner to engage and hold the nail-blanks upon the half-dies 3 at propertimes during the rotation of the head. Under the arrangement hereinshown one of these nippers will engage upon a nail-blank as soon as thelatter has left, the guide 0 and has been received by one of the dies E,the nippers continuing to hold. the nail-blank until after the samehasbeen headed up and until the now finished nail. has been carried to apoint about under the head E, at which point the nippcr releases itshold upon the nail, so that the same may drop from the head. Theseuippers can obviously be operated at proper moments by a variety ofmechanical expedientsl As an illustration of a simple and efficient wayof operating the nippers, their pivots 13 are arranged parallel with theaxis of the rotary head E and extended out from one end of the head. Theextended ends of said pivots are provided with arms 14:, arranged toswing opposite the end of the head and adapted to serve as cranks forturning the pivots upon which the nippers are fixed. the nail-blanks bysuitably-arranged springs, which, for example, can be applied as in Fig.2, wherein springs 15 are secured to the end of the rotary head E, andapplied to the arms 14 in a manner to cause the nail-blank-engaging ends12 of the nippers to normally close upon the half-dies 3. The nipperscan, however, be positively opened or swung away from the half-dies 3 bya cam, 1, formed by the curved edge of a plate, 16, that is secured to.the main frame in position to bring its curved or cam portion I in frontof the end of head E, and in such position that during the rotation ofthe head studs 17 on the arms 1% of the nipper-pivots will for a portionof each revolution of the head be brought against the cam I, whichserves to swing the arms 14 in a direction to open the nippers. The camI is so timed or arranged that at a moment proper for causing a nipperto close upon .a nail-blank on one of the dies E the stud 17 allotted tosuch nipper will clear the upper end of cam I, thus permitting thespring for such nipper to swing the nipper in a direction to cause it toengage and hold the nailblank. The spring will then be free .to hold thenipper upon the nail-blank until the stud 17 allotted to such nipper isagain opposed by the cam I, at which last-mentioned juncture the nipperwill be swung by the cam out and away from the finished nail, and henceallow the nail to drop down from the rotary head.

In Fig. t two of the nippers are therein shown closed, with each holdinga nail-blank, 13, upon one of the half-dies 3, while the two remainingnippers are shown in an open condition, it being understood that theclosed nippers are thus held by the action of theirrespectively-allotted springs, and that the open nippers are heldpositively in such condition by the cam I, along which the studs of thecrank-arms belonging to such nippers are understood to be riding. Theblock which provides the curved guide (3 is also provided with a notch,19, Figs. 4, l0, and ll, which notch forms in the lower end portion ofthe guide (3 a passage through which the outer ends, 12, of the nipperscan pass during the rotation of the head E. This notch or passage 19permits, therefore, the nippers in an open condition to pass the lowerend of the guide, and at the same time allows the guide, which is formedsubstantially concentric to the head B and tangential to the head E, tobe brought at its lower end as closely down to said head E as may bedesired.

The nippers are caused to close upon The blanks are headed up by movabledies K, which are carried by the rotary head E, and operated at properintervals by an idler wheel or roll, L, Fig. 3, against which the stocksor butt-ends of such heading-dies are successively brought during therotation of the head E. The heading-dies K correspond in number to thenumber of dies on the r0- tary head E, and are arranged at intervalsaround the latter, so that when a nail-blank is firmly gripped betweentwo registering dies, E and F, the heading-die allotted to suchgripping-dies will be forced forward by the opposition of theidler-wheel and caused to head up the blank. The heading-dies can beforced back by springs 20, Fig. 5, so that the butt-ends of their stocksorbody portions may normally stand in a path intersected by theidler-wheel, thus insuring the action of the heading-dies at propertimes.

The heading-dies are arranged to work in suitable guideways, which canbe formed in an annular flange, 21, on the rotary head E, and in headingup a blank the die K, brought into action for such purpose, has arectilinear forward movement in line with the blank to be headed. Inthis way the action of the heading-die will be square upon the end ofthe nail-blank, and will consequently insure the formation of a perfecthead for the nail.

The idler wheel or roll L is ad j ustably stationed, so that it can beset with reference to the heading-dies and to the extent of forwardthrow to be given to such dies, a convenient mode of adjusting theposition of such idler wheel or roll being shown in Fig. 3, wherein thesliding box or bearing 22 for such wheel has its back end made inclinedand set against the inclined side' of an adjusting-block, 23, whichlatter can be raised and lowered by a rod, 24, arranged to extend upthrough the box or bearing for the shaft of head B.

Each die E is provided with a groove, 3, Fig. 9, which will in practicebe adapted to slightly round .up the blank adjacent to the nail-head.The dies E are fitted to blocks or backing-pieces 23, Fig. 9, one ofwhich said blocks or back in g-pieces will be provided for each die Eachblock 23 is properly recessed for the reception of its allotted die E,which is to he set in the block so as to bring the groove 3 of the die Ein alignment with a groove, 24, in one end of the block. These blocks 23are set in mortises 25, that are formed radially in the head E, as inFig. 14, and are detachably held in place by the screws 26, as shown inFig. (i. The dies E, when fitted to the blocks 23, as in said Fig. 26,are backed by adj usting-screws 27, which have theirbearings in a hub orcollar, 28, set centrally within the head E, in which way the dies arecapable of radial adjustment for the purpose of con'ipensating for wearof their faces.

The grooves 3 of the dies E constitute gripping or clamping diesurfaces, which act in conjunction with like grooved faces of the dies Ffor holding the blanks during the heading up of the same. The groovesol? the dies E and 11" also serve for rounding up the blanks, and sincesuch dies require fretutent renewal of their acting faces they are madeseparate from the blocks 23 and provided with acting faces for receivingand rounding up that portion of the shank or body of the nail that isnearest to its head, the remainingportion of the nail-blank being to adesired extent received and held in the groove in the l)l()('l to whichthe die is titted. The dies l of tlle. head F, Fig. 5, are combined withblocks 30, that are held in grooves ill of the head by screws 23;, andthe dies It" are :uljustablyheld by screws 33, all substantially in thesame way that the half-dies and blocks of head E are arranged.

With regard to certain details of arrangement herein shown, it will beobserved that while the rotary head ll could he provided with but asingle eutter it is desirable to provide it with a plurality of cutters,and also that while the heads E and F could be provided with but one die(in case but one cutter should he provided for the head 13) it isdesirable to equip each of said heads E and l with a plurality of dies,each head having a series of dies eorrespomling in number to the numberof cutters U.

Theeutters (1 herein shown are adjustabl y held in lnortises formed onlines which may be regarded as the chords of certain ares or segmentsabout the center of the head, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 10. Thisarrangement permits the ends of the cutter-blades to be. ground with abevel substantially concentric with the (-ylindrie head, and further affords a ("onvenient disposition of the cutterblades, whieh can beadjusted by blocks ll, beveled as in Fig. 13, and set by adjustingscrewsThe arrangement of geari ng for driving the three rotary heads 13, E,and F may of course be varied, and. hence no limitation is herein placedupon the means to be employed for operating these rotary heads. As oneof such ways, the shaft ill; of the head I is driven from a power-shaft,37, by means of a gear, as, on the power-shaft engaging a gear, 30, onthe shaft of said rotary head. The shaft 30 is also provided with agear, to, engaging a gear, Ll, on the shaft 42 of the rotary head E, andserving to drive said shaft and head, and this said shaft t2 of therotary head E is further provided with a gear, 42 for acttntting therotary head F through the medium of a gear, 44-, fixed upon the shaft 45of head l and engaging the said gear 4;).

The three heads ll, E, and F are all driven at the same rate of: speed;but the head E is made somewhat grez'tter in diameter than the head B,so that a die on the periphery of head E will he set from the axis ofsaid head at a distance greater than that at which any one of thecutting-edges of cutters (l is set from the axis of its allotted head13. This arrangement, while permitting a die on. head E to be broughtduring eat-h revolution into position for receiving a nail-blank from aparticular cutter t, will cause the die to travel faster than thecutter; hence the instant a nailblank is ejected from its positionagainst the head ll and engages in a die on the head E said die willcarry the nail-blank rapidly ahead of the cutter, which follows with aslower movement, thereby avoiding any possibility of theeutt'erinterfering with the nailblauk at such time.

The rotary head I" is mounted in a selfadjustable bearing, E", hereinshown arranged toslide in a guideway in the main frame and backed by aspring, E. In connection with such spring any suitable meanssueh as anadjustable follower, E'-ean be ln'ovided for regulating theforee of thespring. S n'ingbacked bearings are old ("Xllttlltfilllh in various othernn'ui1hin(. s; but in the present instance such device involves noveland important results. Thus the spring can be regulated so tha-twhen twodies, respectively on the head E and the head 1!, are about to separateor pass a line joining the centers of the two heads, the action of thespring will serve to hold the die of head 1 up tothe die of the head E alittle longer than if the journalbearing .for head h were stationary.This causes a prolongation of the grip of the dies on the nail-blmlk, sothat the heading-die can have ample time to complete the heading up ofthe nail-blank.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a nail-maehil'ie, theemnhination, substantially as hereinl)e'fore set forth, of a pair ofrevolving opposing nailsblank-cla1nping dies and the nipper which iscarried with one of the dies and arranged to engage and hold thereon anail-blank both preparatory to the moment at which said die is broughtinto register with the opposing die and for a short period after it haspassed the same, for the purpose described.

2. In a nail-machine, the (:omlnnation, substantially as hea'einbefm'eset forth, of a revolving die-head provided. with alli'tll-blillllielalnl iing die, the nipper mounted upon said revolvingdie-head, a spring acting to close the nipper upon the die during aportion of the complete revolution of the die-head, and a cam arrangedand timed for opening the nipper to discharge the nail, and for holdingopen the nipper during the remaining portion of such resolution on thepart of the head, for the purpose described.

3. In a nail-machine, the combination, with the rotary head providedwith a clampingdie, of the vibratory nipper ll, carried. by the rotaryhead, a crank-arm, 14, on, the pivot of the nipper, and the can't I,arrangeifl and timed substantially as described, for alternately openingand closing the nipper, for the purpose specified.

4. In a nail-machine, the combination, sub stantiz'illy as hereinbeforeset forth, of the rotary cutter-head pro'vidml with. one or morecutters, a rotary die-head provided with one or morenail-blank-clainping dies, and a curved guideway formed between acurvedwall and the cutter-head and extending from the point of out to a pointwhere it can deliver the nailblank to a die upon the rotary head, thecutter or cutters of the rotary cutter-head and the die or dies of therotary die-head being relatively arranged, whereby a nailblank carriedalong the guideway by a cutter shall be delivered to a die upon therevolving die-head, :tor the purpose set forth.

In a nail-machine, the combination, substantially as described, with arotary head provided with a cutter and a stationary cut ter, of theguide (3 and a couple of rotary heads, each provided with a die, one ofsaid die-carrying heads being arranged relatively to the delivery end ofsaid guide to bring its die during each revolution at a point where anail-blank can be discharged from said guide onto said die,substantially as described.

6. In a nail-machine, the combination, substantially as hereinbet'oreset forth, with a cutter t'or severing the nail-blanks and a rotarydie-head provided with one or more nail-blank-clamping dies, of a guide,substantially as set forth, extending from the point of cut to thedie-head and arranged for the delivery of a nail-blank to a die of therotary die-head, a nipper mounted upon the rotary die-head, and anipper-closing device timed relatively to the revolutions of the(liehead and its die to close the nipper upon anail-blank the instantsuch blank has been delivered from the said guide onto the die, for thepurpose described.

7. In a nail-machine, the combination, with the recessed die-blocl' 23,fitted in a die-head and provided with a face-groove, 24, of theclamping and rounding-up die E, adjustably held in said recessed blockand arranged with its face-groove in alignment with the facegroove ofthe block, substantially as described.

h. In a nail-nntchine, the combination of the die-block 223, titted inits allotted diehead and provided with aface-groove, 24:, the clampingand rounding-up die adjustably held in said recessed block and havingits face-groove in alignment with the face-groove ot' the block, and anopposing recessed die block titted in its allotted head and providedwith a clamping and roumling-u p die, F, adjustably held, said block,the die I and its block Sit) being grooved similar to the opposing die Eand block 23, substantially as and for the purpose described.

J. In a nail-machine, the combination, with a pair of revolvingclamping-dies, of a movable hmding-die carried with one of the revolvingdies and an idler wheel or roll, Ii, constituting an abutmentintersecting the path described by the rear portion of the heading-die,substantially as described.

10. In anail-machine, the combination, with a rotary head provided witha clamping-die, of a heading-die, substantially as set forth, carriedby-sa-id rotary head, and an idlerwheel, Ii, mounted in an adjustablebearing and intersecting the path described by a projecting portion ofthe heading-die, substantially as described.

11. In anail-machinc, the combination, with a rotary head provided witha cutter, of the rotary head E, provided with a die and made of greaterdiameter than the cutter-head, whereby the travel of the die shall bemore rapid than the travel of the rotary cutter, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

12. In a nail-machine, the rotary head 1' provided with a cutter, and aspring-finger in front of such cutter, for the purpose set forth, of theguide 6 and the rotary head E, provided with a die which travelssomewhat. faster than the cutter, substantially as described.

13. In a nail-machine, the combination, with a revolving cutter, ot' theguide (3, provided with a passage, 19, at its lower end, and the rotaryhead provided with a die and with a nipper, which, preparatory toengaging and holding a nail upon said die, passes through the passage19, substantially as described.

1-t. In anail-machine, apairot' rotaryheads, each provided with a (lieand arranged whereby said dies may during the con joint revolution ofthe heads be brought into register, combined with a spring-backedbearing for one of said rotary heads,substantial] y as and for thepurpose described.

15. In a nail-machine, the rotary head 15, provided with acutter, U, anda spring-controlled tiuger, 5, pivoted at one end upon a raised portionof the perimeter of the head, whereby said spring is pivotally supportedrelatively to the periphery of the 'head to avoid dragging forward thenail-blank whenacting to discharge the same, substantially as described.

lti. In a nail-machine, the combination, substantially as hereinbet'oreset forth, with the rotary cutter-head provided with aperipherallyprojecting cutter, ot' a clamping-die upon which thenail-blank is to be received from the cutter, the curved guide extendingfrom the point of cut to a poin t to deliver the nail-blank onto theclamping-die, and the pivoted nailblank-ejector finger 5, pivotallyhungat one end upon a projection raised from the periphery of the cutteihead, whereby in ejecting the nail-blank said ejecting-finger isprevented from dragging forward the 1iail-blank,substantially asdescribed.

FRANK ALLISON.

IVit-nesses:

CHAS. G. PAGE, MAX HAMBURGER.

